sooner did Gayarre believe him gone, than the latter advanced boldly
upon his purpose, and hurried events to the described crisis. It was
just what Antoine had expected; and acting himself as the accuser, the
conviction of the avocat was easy and certain. A sentence of five years
to the State Penitentiary wound up Gayarre's connexion with the
characters of our story.

It will scarce grieve you to know that "Bully Bill" experienced a
somewhat similar fate--that Ruffin, the man-hunter, was drowned by a
sudden rising of the swamp--and that the "nigger-trader" afterwards
became a "nigger-stealer;" and for that crime was sentenced at the court
of Judge Lynch to the punishment of "tar and feathers."

The "sportsmen," Chorley and Hatcher, I never saw again--though their
future is not unknown to me. Chorley--the brave and accomplished, but
wicked Chorley--was killed in a duel by a Creole of New Orleans, with
whom he had quarrelled at play.

Hatcher's bank "got broke" soon after, and a series of ill-fortune at
length reduced him to the condition of a race-course thimble-rig, and
small sharper in general.

The pork-merchant I met many years afterward, as a successful _monte_
dealer in the "Halls of the Montezumas." Thither he had gone,--a
camp-follower of the American army--and had accumulated an enormous
fortune by keeping a gambling-table for the officers. He did not live
long to enjoy his evil gains. The "_vomito prieto_" caught him at Vera
Cruz; and his dust is now mingled with the sands of that dreary shore.

Thus, reader, it has been my happy fortune to record _poetical justice_
to the various characters that have figured in the pages of our history.

I hear you exclaim, that two have been forgotten, the hero and heroine?

Ah! no--not forgotten. Would you have me paint the ceremony--the pomp
and splendour--the ribbons and rosettes--the after-scenes of perfect
bliss?

Hymen, forbid! All these must be left to your fancy, if your fancy
deign to act. But the interest of a "lover's adventures" usually ends
with the consummation of his hopes--not even always extending to the
altar--and you, reader, will scarce be curious to lift the curtain, that
veils the tranquil after-life of myself and my beautiful Quadroon.

NOTE TO THE PREFACE.

After what has been stated in the Preface, it will scarce be necessary
to say that the _names_ and some of the _places_ mentioned in this book
are fictitious. Some of the scene